Broken People
by kittyfire
Summary: They met each other in the most unlikely place and formed a bond so strong that it could withstand anything...right? EDIT! I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters from the show
1. The left behind

Okay I've had to delete this story and repost it cuz...well I'm a little slow:)

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters from the show

* * *

The grave yard was moist with the early morning dew as the sun cast an eerie luminescent blanket over the rows of grave stones. The smell of death permeated from every pore in the earth as if trying to alleviate some of the pain that was buried in the soil.

A single figure stood over a mahogany casket that was being lowered into the ground. She stared at the inscription on the grave stone. _June Higarashi Beloved mother and daughter 1962-2004 _

'Heh' she thought bitterly 'are these six words worthy of marking and honoring my mother?'

Kagome couldn't take her eyes away from her mothers name on that head stone. It meant she was really dead. It meant that she was all alone.

Next to her mother's grave stone was a smaller one which read _Souta Higarashi Beloved son and brother 1991-2002 _

'Souta, I miss you'

She truly was alone. Kagome knew that it was the death of her brother that had caused her mother to die. Slowly pieces of her just began to fade. Kagome had to watch her mother die a slow painful death from grief and guilt. Her mother felt responsible for Souta's death and she refused to forgive herself.

Kagome stood there and watched as men lowered her mother's body into the ground. She had decided to have a closed casket service for she knew that even in death the look of sorrow was not washed from her face. No matter how much make-up they put on her.

And she couldn't stand for that to be her last memory of her mother. She wanted to remember all the great times they had. June Higarashi was an amazing woman to know, and even more amazing to have as a mother. She tried so hard to make up for the absence of their father. They never knew him and therefore felt no loss at the notice of his death ten years ago. No one was sure why he left in the first place, only that he did leave, and for that June could not forgive him. So she pushed herself to be twice the parent in one.

On one occasion Kagome's school was throwing a father daughter pancake breakfast. Kagome came home crying because when she was asked about her father at school all she could do was answer 'I don't know him'. Apparently this spawned a mixture of teasing and name calling, names that shouldn't be yelled at a nine year old girl. Well, June being two parents in one decided that father daughter pancake breakfasts were for ordinary children and that just wouldn't do because Kagome was special.

So on the morning of the pancake breakfast she and Kagome got all decked out in their finest dresses and shoes. They did their hair like movie stars and June even let Kagome wear her grandmothers blue crystal necklace. They wore make-up and had flowing chiffon scarves that they flitted about to annunciate a point if needed. The whole morning they spoke in snooty British accents. They thought it added an air of refinement and mystery to their little game of dress up.

Kagome was allowed to pick where they would go for breakfast and being the nine year old girl that she was she picked Denny's. Kagome had an obsession with the French toast at Denny's. So to Denny's they went. When they walked in the whole place stopped dead to look at the two over dressed ladies who had just requested a booth for two in suspiciously bad British accents.

They ate there breakfast all the while pretending to be two movie stars who had ducked into the diner to wait out the paparazzi. They gave themselves new stage names and lives. Kagome was no longer Kagome Higurashi but Tallulah Bright, and June Higurashi was now Christine le Dijou. They sat there for hours detailing Tallulah and Christine's lives. What movies they had been in, who they had dated, what the thought about so and so's out fit at the premiere last night. They had a ball. The dress up breakfast club, as it had been dubbed, became a tradition among the two whenever one was sad.

These were the kinds of things June Higurashi did every day. Small miracles to help her children have fulfilled lives. That was the kind of person she was.

Kagome smiled at the fading memory, locking onto it, she concentrated on her mother as she was. The two years after Souta's death had changed her mother into a broken woman. So much sadness filled her once perfect blue eyes. The lines of grief had become apparent on her worn face. She didn't shine anymore. She would try to be happy for Kagome, but she knew that it was all an act.

Kagome moved back home and took some time off of school to help her mother try and heal. Yes the death of her brother had affected her a lot but she did not blame herself for his death and therefore was relieved of the humongous weight of guilt her mother carried with her. It seems that weight slowly drove her into the ground.

Kagome tried to help her but June insisted that nothing was wrong, everything was ok. She tried to cook and clean and do things that she normally would have done in the past. But nothing could soothe her anymore, not even the dress up breakfast club.

June thought that Kagome couldn't hear her pain filled cries and whimpers at night, but she did. It was about a year and a half after Souta's death that June had to be commited to the hospital. She'd become so frail, so lifeless. They had her on anti-biotics for an infection her mourning body refused to fight.

A few months later June died. Kagome was asleep by her side when she heard her mother whisper something about being able to take care of her baby boy again soon. Kagome tried to speak with her mother and tell her that she needed her. That her baby girl still needed her. June looked up into Kagome's teary cobalt eyes and took her hand in hers. Her shaky voice cut through the silent room as she tried to relay her dying wish to her precious baby girl.

"Kagome, my sweet Kagome. I love you so much, but you are strong now and I am needed elsewhere. Please Kagome understand. Please remember our good times and try to be happy above all else. Please be happy because my special Kagome deserves so much."

June's hand went limp and Kagome screamed for the doctors and begged her mother to return to her. She was not ready for this, not ready to be alone. Her sobs over took her body and the last thing she heard before consciousness abandoned her was the monotonous tone of her mother's heart monitor

Kagome stood before her mother's grave a cesspool of conflicting emotions. She felt sadness, loss, and fear, but mostly she felt anger. She was angry that her mother chose to die for Souta rather than live for her. Yes Kagome was grown, if you consider twenty grown, but that doesn't mean that she didn't still need her mother. She did.

A layer of guilt frosted her body as she began to feel nauseated at her disrespectful thoughts towards her mother. She loved her mother, no matter what. She knew that June had her reasons for dying, but she couldn't get past the feeling of abandonment. Kagome finally knew what it felt like to be broken.

What was she suppose to do now? Yes her mother left her the house but that would only serve as a place to live, not to mention a constant reminder of her deceased family.

Not caring if she got dirty she laid down on the grass in between her mother and brothers graves. In between the only family she had ever known.

She stayed there until night fall, not wanting to go home, not really knowing where to go. She was startled out of her thoughts when a flash of silver caught her eye. What was that, a ghost? Her eyes follow the ethereal figure, studying its every move.

Upon closer inspection she found that this ghost was actually a young man and not a ghost at all. He was tall and slender with the most unique flowing silver hair that fell to his waist. He looked to be about Kagome's age, on any other day she probably would have found him attractive.

She remained where was as she watched him make his way to an elaborate grave stone a few rows away that depicted an angel that was probably taller than Kagome herself. He placed what looked like white orchids on the grave as he sat down beside it.

"Hi mom. How are you this week?" The young man began what looked like a routine ritual as he groomed the area around the grave. He cleared away any dead leaves or stray debris trying to make it look as tidy as possible.

Kagome knew she shouldn't be eavesdropping but for some reason this boy talking to his mother eased her in some way. As if telling her that she is not the only one grieving in the world.

She listened intently begging for a distraction.

"Well let's see this week I went to see Dad and I'm sure you know how that went. He always thinks I'm there for more money. I keep trying to tell him that I promised you I would look after him and make sure he goes to the doctor and all that crap. I tell you what mom he's not making it easy on me, and Sesshomaru isn't helping either. He just encourages him. I know you loved him but he's changed since you died, he's become so stubborn. He acts like he twenty-five and hasn't had two heart attacks. He refuses to lessen his work load and I just don't know how to handle him anymore. I'm just so frustrated."

He stopped for a moment to take a deep breath and regroup

"Sorry mom I know I should be more patient. Well, anyways on to some more interesting news about me, heh. I finally got finished moving, ha, you know Miroku didn't make it easy. He's always trying rearrange everything so that his "love chi" will flow more smoothly. I swear one of these days that guy is gonna get a mouth full of my foot."

Kagome couldn't help it she let a little laugh escape. She quickly slapped her hand over her mouth praying that the boy hadn't heard her.

She waited……no sound…..no talking…..oh crap……footsteps……angry footsteps

"Hey do you always make a habit of listening to other people's private conversations?"

Instantly he felt a little silly referring to his commentary as a conversation, but he was pissed. No one was supposed to know that he still spoke to his mother, or rather to her grave.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he first laid eyes upon his beautiful intruder. She had long raven hair and the most sad and beautiful cobalt blue eyes. She took his breath away.

She sat up but was unable to speak as she was stunned by his intense amber eyes that were currently burning with anger and some other emotion she couldn't quite place.

"Well?" He waited for an answer.

Kagome blushed as she realized he was staring at her straight in the eyes and was still waiting for her to speak.

"I…..I'm so sorry I was just laying here and you came and I was …..I just…I'm sorry I didn't mean to intrude."

It was then that he realized that she was laying in the middle of a grave yard at night, by herself….weird.

"Why are you lying out here anyways?"

Kagome suddenly felt all of her previous thoughts and feelings flood back to her as she tried to formulate a proper answer. Her eyes began to tear.

"Oh, my mother's funeral was this morning and I…I just didn't want to go home."

Ouch. Now he felt like a total asshole. Why hadn't he noticed the fresh grave beside her or her black dress…..he seriously needed to start paying more attention.

"Oh…..I'm sorry."

"It's ok I suppose you know what it's like to lose a mother too huh?"

"Yea"

A silence fell over the two as neither knew what else to say.

"Uhh my name's Inuyasha what's yours?"

Okay holy crap. I was reading over this today to refresh my memory and I realized that I totally screwed up! At the end of this chapter was an alternate ending that I had decided sucked, and I guess I forgot it was there...so just disreguard that little flub up please:) Sorry, I'll pay more attention from now on. Thanks :)


	2. Going home

"Oh, my name is Kagome."

The name fit her so well; it was beautiful and understated just like her.

She looked up at him and he was taken aback. Her eyes were deep cobalt pools of sadness that seemed as though they could break you if they desired to do so.

" I guess you probably want to be alone, so I'll just..."

"No it's okay. Actually I wouldn't mind a distraction. I mean that is if your not ya know busy or whatever."

"Oh...uh...sure...I mean...ok"

'Damn it Inuyasha stop acting like an idiot!' he berated himself. He sat down on the grass Indian style opposite of her, so that they were facing.

"So why do you come here at night to talk to your mom?"

Inuyasha felt his cheeks burn as he was reminded that this girl had caught him in a personal moment of vulnerability.

"I dunno I just like it. It's quieter than the day time. There's no one else here. I guess it's just easier this way."

"Oh. May I ask when she died?"

He felt a pang in his chest as he recalled his mother's painful, and drawn out death.

"Two years ago, breast cancer."

"Oh, I'm sorry that must have been hard to go through. I bet you took care of her."

"I tried to, but it was hard doing it alone. My father wasn't a big help. He buried himself in work to try and distract himself from her disease."

Inuyasha wasn't sure why he was telling a girl that he had just met things that he hadn't even told his best friend.

"How did your ..." he left the question open

Her face fell and she tried very hard not to cry.

He tried to recover, "Oh man I'm so sorry I shouldn't have asked I mean it's too soon I understa—"

"She died of a broken heart. She couldn't stand to live a life knowing that she had failed my younger brother and allowed him to die. At least that's what she thought. She blamed herself for Souta's death...her body refused to fight an infection that had put her into the hospital...she just gave up...and left me behind."

During her speech Inuyasha noticed the gravestone to her left for the first time

'Souta Higurashi...her brother..."

Kagome began to cry as the emotions became too much. Something inside of him snapped and his instincts took over. He took her in his arms and rocked her like a child. She didn't fight it; she collapsed into his hold and sobbed. She cried for her brother, and for her mother, and for herself. Sobs wracked her body and she no longer held control over her tears.

After a few minutes she began to regain some of her composure, at least enough to realize that she was crying in a total stranger's arms. She sat up and wiped her eyes.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry...I don't know what came over me...I just...I'm sorry."

"It's ok I understand. I know how hard it is, especially this soon after."

He didn't know why but he felt such a bond towards this girl even though he'd only known her for a few moments. They shared a common pain, and he wanted to help her the way that no one helped him when his mother died.

They sat in silence for a moment as he watched her stare at something far in the distance, almost as if she was watching a memory play out. She was taken from her thoughts when she felt a hand on hers. She didn't fear or reject the gesture because she knew it was not malicious, but an attempt at comfort. And strangely enough this boy's presence soothed her. She felt instantly safe with him. Safer, she knew, than she had any right to feel at this moment.

Kagome blushed as she couldn't control a yawn from escaping her mouth.

"You look really tired. How long have you been out here?"

"Uhm...since eight o' clock this morning."

"Eight! You've been here for fourteen hours?"

"Yea"

"How much longer do you plan to stay? You can't live out here ya know, I say this from experience."

She gave him a weak smile that illustrated just how tired she really was.

"I guess I should go home. I'm just ...scared. I haven't been back since she died, I've been staying with my friend Sango."

"Couldn't you stay with her tonight?"

"I know that I could but I just can't be around her tonight. She's always bugging me, wanting to know if I'm ok. I know that it's because she loves me but...I just want to have some peace and not be asked if I'm ok every other minute ya know? And I know I have to go back sometime. Not going home isn't going to bring her back...I know."

He watched as she internally debated with herself over whether or not to go home. She wasn't speaking out loud, but the emotions that played across her face were proof enough to know what she was thinking.

"Do you have a way to get there?"

"Oh. Yea I don't live very far, I'll just walk."

"Uhm...I'll walk with you if you want. I mean I totally understand if you don't wa—"

"Yes."

"Yes...what?"

"I would like you to walk with me...I mean if you don't mind."

He smiled as a hint a pink tinged his cheeks. Why was it that everything about being around this girl made him blush and feel all...tingly?

They got up and began walking towards Kagome's house. On the way they talked about whatever it is you talk about when trying to get to know someone. Like are they in school? Do they have a job? What kinds of stuff they like, you know the usual. It was teeming with forced casualness. They both tried to ignore the fact that they had just met 30 minutes ago...in a grave yard.

They reached the massive staircase that lead up to Kagome's house.

"You live in a shrine?"

"We live in a house on the shrine property. The shrine is a traditional one that isn't in use anymore. Sometimes people will come and wander around and look at it, but basically we just live there...I mean I live there."

The sadness resurfaced in her blue depths.

As they came to the top of the stairs Inuyasha noticed a very large tree with a picket fence around it's base.

"What's that" he pointed to the tree.

"Oh," some of the usual brightness returned to her eyes as recalled the legend of the God tree. "That's the God tree. It's said that an inu-hanyou was pinned to it by his miko lover 500 years ago."

"Why would she do that?"

"The two were deceived by an evil man who was also in love with the woman. She killed the hanyou before he could confess his love to her. And so legend says that their spirits will be eternally restless until their reincarnations find each other again."

"Wow. You know my mother always told me that we were descendents of inu-youki."

"I guess that explains the name then."

He smiled at her, impressed that she knew what his name meant.

Kagome sighed knowing that the inevitable was about to happen. She was going to have to go inside her house.

Inuyasha followed Kagome's frightened gaze to the front door. She looked so nervous.

"Would you come in with me? Just for a minute, to make sure there are no robbers...or ghosts?"

"Sure." He smiled at her warmly and she felt reassured. Her instincts told her that she was safe with this boy and that he would protect her from any monsters that were hiding under her bed.


	3. Giving in

She stood in front of the red front door, hesitating slightly before reaching out to open it. The house was dark and spooky, alive with grief and dust.

Kagome entered her home followed shortly by Inuyasha. He made no move to speak or take action, only waited until she told him what to do.

As soon as they crossed the threshold every memory, every ounce of pain that might have been alleviated returned, tenfold.

She walked through the kitchen and into the den where the familiar blue sofa stood, Inuyasha following her tentatively. He watched her study the room as if trying to see if any essence of her family still remained. Her eyes drifted to the family portrait her mother had insisted they have done three years ago. She hated the idea then, but treasured the image now. She began to feel that familiar tightening in her chest as she focused on the photo.

Her legs became weak and buckled under the weight of her heart. The floor closed in on her as her body fell. Her eyes opened when instead of hard floor she felt warm arms around her.

He caught her just in time, refusing to let her feel anymore pain than she already was. He carried her to the couch and sat her down beside him.

She hurt...so much more than she thought possible. It was like her insides were trying to force their way out through her skin. Everything hurt. She wanted an escape. She wanted some release.

Quickly she rose and made her way to a cabinet in the corner of the room. Inuyasha watched her carefully, confused. He soon found understanding when he caught sight of what she was looking for. She raised a clear bottle to her lips and began to drink as fast as her throat would allow.

It burned going down but she wanted the pain. She wanted to be numb, anything but what she was now.

He crossed the room swiftly and grabbed the bottle from her hands as she protested.

"Don't" his voice was full of concern and empathy. He had been in this place too.

"Please. Just let me drown. Please."

His heart clenched at the pleading in her eyes. She wanted to be numb...maybe even to die. He could not let that happen.

"No. You'll regret it later. Trust me."

"You're wrong. I won't. I don't have anything left to lose."

He was taken aback by her response. Her voice was calm and level, not shaky and unreasonable like before. She truly believed her words.

"That's not true. You must have...something you love that's worth living for."

She looked him straight in the eye and he had to consciously hold his ground.

"My family is dead. I have no job or children or even pets. I have nothing. I'm alone, completely alone."

His heart broke at her words because he knew they were true. He had seen her family's graves and the vacant look in her eyes. She looked empty and he wondered if she had ever been whole.

She was stunningly beautiful, even as broken as she was. She looked so fragile and unloved, longing to be held in strong arms that would chase all of the sadness away.

"Please."

Her eyes were pleading with him to save her, and causing an unseen battle to wage inside of him as her hand reached up to touch his face. She was weak and he would never take advantage of that. He cared too much for her.

How? How had he fallen in love with a girl that he had only known for an hour? He knew nothing about her, not even her last name, but he knew that he needed her. That they needed each other.

She cupped his cheek with her hand as he leaned into her touch, his eyes never leaving hers.

She closed the distance between them and captured his lips with her own. His weakness took over at the feel of her soft lips, as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, her arms linking behind his neck. They deepened the kiss trying to expel all hurt from each other as they melded together and formed a living work of art depicting a conflict of love and pain.

He abandoned her mouth in favor of her neck, and she gasped as he gently nipped and suckled on her sensitive flesh. Her hands found their way under his shirt as she began to explore the flawless skin beneath. She was amazed at how good he felt, how right he felt. She was not a virgin and this was not new to her, but he was new to her, the way he made her feel was new to her. Safe, warm, loved, this was new to her.

She broke away from him as she fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, frustrated that they would not cooperate. She was stopped suddenly when his hands grasped gently at her wrists.

"No. This isn't right, you're upset and vulnerable. I can't take advantage of you like this."

His breath was heavy and shallow. It was taking every ounce of control he had to stop what he was doing to her. What she was doing to him.

"No."

That was all she said before she freed herself from his hold and continued her task of unbuttoning his shirt. She didn't want to lose this small feeling of relief, though small in size, it meant more than anything to her at that moment. He made her feel something besides sorrow, besides emptiness. He made her feel loved.

He took hold of her hands again and forced her to look him in the eye.

"Please don't make this any harder. I don't want to hurt you in a moment of weakness."

"I'm not a virgin." Her words were laced with sarcasm and hurt.

"That's not what I meant. You're upset; you don't know what you're doing."

She wiggled out of his grasp and turned away from him to hide the hurt in her eyes.

His heart sank as he mistook her action for one of anger and began to leave.

"Please don't go I'm sorry. I promise not to force myself on you again. Please I don't want to be here alone." she was so ashamed of her actions. He had been nothing but kind to her and what had she done? Thrown her self at the poor guy.

He was shocked to say the least...she thought he was angry at her? He walked over and turned her so that she was facing him.

Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears as he stared hard into the cobalt depths.

"Please" she pleaded.

He pulled her into his strong arms, surrounding her completely.

"I won't leave until you want me to. I promise."

"Ok" she sniffled into his chest.

He tightened his grip around her, not wanting to ever let her go.

She had never felt so safe.

A few minutes later he felt her go limp in his arms. She was so exhausted, she had fallen asleep right there in the middle of the den. He took her into his arms and went in search of her room.

After several attempts, he finally found her room on the second floor. He laid her sleeping form down on the bright pink comforter. He tried to leave her there and sleep next to the bed on the floor, but she wouldn't let him go. Her grip on him was unrelenting so he gave in and lay down beside her, wrapping his arms around her small frame as she snuggled against his chest.

He breathed in the scent of her hair; lavender and clover.

Inuyasha had never slept so well in his life.


	4. We are who we are

She lay staring at the wall across from her, willing herself to fall back asleep. Her dreams had been so beautiful, filled with memories of her laughing mother and her trickster little brother. Then she awoke to a flood of harsh realities that collided with body and forced her backwards, but she didn't fall. She felt strong arms wrap tighter around her mourning body.

She sank back into welcome comfort as he stirred behind her.

"Hi" his voice was rough with sleep.

"Hi" hers was small and unsure.

"How are you feeling?"

"Dirty." Her tone was flat and he was concerned as to her meaning.

"Wha?"

"I'm covered in graveyard dirt. I'm sorry if I got you dirty too." His face brightened and he had to suppress the laugh that threatened to creep from his throat.

"Oh well I guess I should leave and let you shower and whatever..." he tried so hard to hide the disappointment in his voice, but let a small amount slip.

She suddenly felt panicked

"No!...I mean I guess if you have places to be..."

" I'll stick around if you want..."

"Oh, well umm...okay...I mean...if you've got nothing better to do"

He smiled though she couldn't see it.

"Okay."

"Okay."

She rose from the bed and he instantly felt the loss of her warmth against him. She smoothed out her much wrinkled dress and tried to compose her disheveled appearance.

"Ummm I think I'm gonna take a shower, do you mind?"

"No not at all. I'll just wait downstairs."

"Okay."

The water was hot enough to scald; she wanted to wash away any remnants of that dreadful graveyard. She wished she could wash away her desolation.

Her hands desperately scrubbed the wash cloth against every inch of her skin until it was raw and painful.

The radio on the counter played classic rock, her mother's favorite station. As soon as the song began her muscles tensed, and her chest tightened. 'Imagine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try...' That song... 'No hell below us, above us only sky...'

Unwelcome memories flooded her overwhelmed mind.

Crash. The sickening sounds of metal colliding with metal, of brothers colliding with glass, of a mother's heart colliding with hell. She could see her brother's soul leaving his body; she could see her mother's will leave with it.

Her abused skin collided with cool tile. She was vaguely aware that she was screaming, though not aware that she was still in her shower. She did not see the familiar blue shower curtain or the wide array of shampoos and soaps. She saw her brother's casket, she saw her mother's shattered heart, she saw an empty hospital bed.

Inuyasha burst through the bathroom door and ripped the shower curtain right off of its rings. He saw her crumpled on the floor like a wounded animal. She looked terrified, like she was in another place, a horrible place. He knelt down beside her, the water still running, took hold of her shoulders and shook her, trying to get her to recognize his presence.

"Kagome! Kagome! Look at me, come back to me, please!"

Her screaming stopped as she seemed to realize where she was. She looked up at him and then around, her eyes wide.

"Kagome." His voice was heavy with concern and fright.

"Oh god...I...I..."

"Shh shhh, its okay. Come on." he turned off the water and reached for a nearby towel, wrapping her in it.

He led her into her bedroom and sat her on the bed. She sat stiffly, still not completely lucid. He searched around her room for some clothes, and daftly attempted to dress the poor shaking girl. As he helped her into a pair of pink shorts she looked at him as though she was only just now seeing him there.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was small, and her head low.

"Silly girl, why should you be sorry?" his voice was soft, as though he were talking to a lost child trying to find his mother.

"You're wet."

"Heh, its okay I needed a shower." She tried to smile, but couldn't. She began to think that she had lost the ability to smile. Maybe even to be anything but painfully sad.

With out saying a word she left the room only to return a moment later with what looked like red pajamas.

"These are some of my dad's old clothes that my mom never threw away, you can wear them if you want." He could hear the apology in her voice, and the pleading in her eyes.

"Thanks." He smiled at her warmly as she left him in her bedroom to change.

He emerged downstairs a few moments later wearing the white t-shirt and red pajama pants that she had offered him. The shirt made it painfully obvious how handsome he really was, but she wouldn't allow herself to appreciate it.

He sat down at the table and watched her as she mechanically moved around the kitchen.

"I'm sorry; the only food I've got is Ramen I hope that's okay."

"Ramen happens to be my favorite food ever." His smile let her know that he was actually serious about his statement.

They ate in a companionable silence, neither feeling the need to fill the empty air with meaningless chit chat.

She took his bowl with her own and put them in the sink. They went into the den and sat on the same blue sofa that had taunted her the night before. He needed to know.

"Why were you screaming in the shower?" his question was soft and cautious.

She looked away from him, trying to hide the pained look on her face. She could not deny him, he was her savior, and he deserved to know who he had saved.

"That song...that song was playing in the car when we crashed and my brother died. It kept playing even after the car had stopped and his head was through the windshield. I just...hearing it hurts."

"I'm sorry."

She looked up at him and met his eyes, amber pools of sincerity and understanding.

"Thank you," She entered through his eyes and kissed his soul "for everything."

He was amazed by her, how she reached to him, and how he reached back.

She spoke softly, and he had to strain to hear her words. "Tell me...about your mother."

He was startled at first; no one ever asked him about his mother. He was never really inclined to speak about her, it was hard for him, and he didn't like to be vulnerable in front of others. But he wanted so badly to talk about her; it made her seem more real, more like the person he had been raised by and not a fading memory. That was why he went to the graveyard every week, he was afraid that if he didn't he might forget her.

Kagome watched the myriad of emotions play across his face, worried. His eyes softened when he noticed her anxiety, happy that she cared.

"She was beautiful, gracious, intelligent, and resourceful. She raised me to be strong and independent, but also to care about others...even if they don't care about you."

Kagome noticed the flash of anger at the last part of his statement, though he quickly recovered. She placed her hand on his as a sign to continue. He was not used to such tenderness, and he nearly pulled away, but he remembered who this girl was and what they had already been through.

"She was my father's second wife, his first wife died when Sesshomaru was ten. Sesshomaru is my half-brother. He always hated my mother, and in turn resented me for being born. We've never gotten along; he didn't even attend my mother's funeral or say any kind of condolence."

He was visibly shaking in anger. Kagome squeezed his hand and moved closer to him.

"What is your favorite memory of her?" Her tone was gentle, as his had been before.

His face softened.

"She loved her garden, especially her prize-winning orchids, when I was little I use to help her dig and plant new seeds. I loved getting dirty and muddy. She use to tell me that I had a magic green thumb and that I was the reason that her orchids grew so beautiful."

He smiled at the memory; it was almost as if he could still hear her voice.

"That's beautiful; she sounds like an amazing woman."

Inuyasha smiled at her and she smiled back, for the first time. 'What a beautiful smile, I'm glad that I finally got to see it.'

They spent the rest of the day talking about everything, everything except Kagome's mother. He had asked her about the woman, but Kagome wasn't ready to confront her mother's ghost, yet.

They talked about music and movies, food and friends. She told him about her best friend Sango, and he told her about his best friend and now room mate Miroku.

He told her things that he had never told anyone else before, he trusted her with his heart. She laughed for the first time in two years, she only smiled for him.

It was as if their souls had recognized each other the moment they met. They both felt it, how could you not?

He slept by her side for the next two days, refusing to part with the other half of his soul. She grew accustomed to his soothing aura and warm embrace. They were so close, and yet hadn't kissed since that first night. She was afraid he would reject her again, and he was afraid of taking advantage of her.

She awoke to the sun in her eyes and cursed the offending light. He just buried his face in her hair, trying to block out everything but her smell.

"Hi." His voice was muffled by her neck, and she giggled at the tickly feeling of his breath.

"Hi."

"I think I need to go home today."

"Wha?" she flipped around to look at him, panicked.

"I can't wear your father's pajamas forever; I think I'm beginning to smell."

"No your not, I like the way you smell." She smiled at him and he almost melted.

"You can come with me! Yea, I'd really like you to meet Miroku." She laughed at his child-like excitement.

"Ok, I guess that would be ok...are you going to stay there?"

"Uhm, I hadn't thought about that...do you want me to stay there?"

"No." her answer was simple and honest, but it made him feel bubbly inside.

"Okay. Well come on lady, lets get to going." He had found several ways to make her laugh, for it was the sweetest form of music to him, and his cheesy cowboy accent was on top of the list.

"Alright, partner."

As soon as they walked into the apartment, they were bombarded by a very unhappy Miroku.

"Inuyasha! Where have you been? It has been three days since I last saw you, and why the hell haven't you been answering your cell phone and further more you forgo...oh why hellllllo." His eyes took on an all too familiar glow.

"Don't even think about it Miroku, I mean it." His tone was deadly serious causing Miroku to instantly straighten up and avert his eyes away from the beautiful girl's breasts.

"This is my room mate, and serious pervert Miroku."

"Hi, I'm Kagome. It's nice to meet you."

"Very nice to meet you too." He took her hand and kissed it, only to receive a growl of warning from Inuyasha. He had become very protective of Kagome these past few days, and she of him.

Inuyasha led Kagome to his room and shut the door behind him, ignoring all of Miroku's questions, and protests.

"Sorry, I know its messy but we just moved in." he was embarrassed by the pile of dirty laundry, that was slowly growing into a mountain, on the floor. She just giggled and said something about young bachelors being pigs.

She looked around his room and found it to be sparse, bare walls and cardboard boxes. A picture on top of his dresser caught her eye.

"Is this your mother?" she went closer to get a better look.

"Huh? Oh yea, that's when she was pregnant with me."

"She's beautiful." He could only smile, not knowing how to respond.

"Don't you have any pictures of you, or your friends?"

"Nah, I don't photograph well." he was trying to busy himself with tidying up, or just blatantly shoving things under his bed.

"I bet that's not true. No one thinks they photograph well."

"I bet you photograph well." He smiled even wider when she blushed at the compliment.

"No comment."

"What, you honestly don't know how beautiful you are?" she turned away from him to hide her flushed appearance.

"Come on." He egged her on.

"No, I don't know how beautiful I am. What do you consider beautiful anyways? Is beautiful losing your virginity at fifteen because some 'hot guy' thought you were pretty? Is beautiful doing unspeakable things to hide from reality? Is beautiful resenting your dead brother for taking your mother away?" Her tone went from playful to sorrowful in a manner of seconds.

"I'm sorry, that was stupid, I didn't mean to get all dramatic on you like that." She was still facing away from him, only now it was to hide her tears.

"Hey. Hey, look at me." He turned her around by her shoulders and lifted her chin so that she was looking into his eyes, eyes that would never lie to her.

"You are beautiful because of who you are, not because of what you've done. What does the past matter? We can't change it, we can't go back. We are who we are, and I love who you are."

Her eyes widened at his declaration, fat tears leaking from her heart.

"How can you say that? You've only known me for a few days. How could you love me?"

"Because, I've told you things that I have never told anyone, including my mother. I've never trusted anyone the way I trust you. I've never let myself be vulnerable in front of anyone; I know that you would never betray me. I can see it in your beautiful sad eyes. You have brought out things in me that I didn't even know existed, you make me happy, happier than I have ever felt. You've made me feel things I never expected to feel. I know that I've only known you for a short time, but in that time I have...I have...fallen in love with you."

She stared at him, gob smacked, speechless.

"Can you honestly tell me that you don't feel it? Feel something?"

She couldn't compose the words, she wanted to tell him yes, yes she did feel it...but she was scared. What if she lost him too? Could she survive another loss like that?

"I...I..."

The room began to spin, and it suddenly got hot. Her mind was racing with a million different scenarios, with a million different ways she loved him back. It was too much, too overwhelming. So she fainted...

"Shit!" he caught her before she came anywhere near the floor.

Her eyes fluttered open as she tried to figure out where she was. She surveyed the room...dirty clothes, boxes, bare walls...oh right...

"Hi there." She jumped at the sudden break in silence.

"Uh...hi."

"You passed out."

"I did? Oh."

He didn't say anymore, just continued to stare at the ceiling from his lying position next to her on the bed.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yes?"

"I...just wanted to tell you...I mean...that is to say...well...I feel it too...a lot." She turned to face him; he turned to face her, smiling.

"Really?" she nodded unsurely.

They lay that way for a few minutes, before he could no longer contain himself. He leaned over her and kissed her; chaste and loving, a declaration of their lips.


End file.
